Azores

Azores (Açores)
Autonomous Region (Região Autónoma)
Mount Pico and the green landscape, emblematic of the archipelago of the Azores
Flag Coat of arms
Official name: Região Autónoma dos Açores
Name origin: açor, Portuguese for species of raptor, erroneously identified as goshawks; also derivation from the word for blue
Motto: Antes morrer livres que em paz sujeitos (English: "Rather die as free men than be enslaved in peace")
Country	Portugal
Autonomous Region	Azores
Region	Atlantic Ocean
Subregion	Mid-Atlantic Ridge
Position	Azores Platform
Islands	Corvo, Faial, Flores, Graciosa, Pico, São Jorge, São Miguel, Santa Maria, Terceira
Municipalities	Angra do Heroísmo, Horta, Lagoa, Lajes das Flores, Lajes do Pico, Madalena, Nordeste, Povoação, Praia da Vitória, Ponta Delgada, Ribeira Grande, Santa Cruz da Graciosa, Santa Cruz das Flores, São Roque, Vila do Corvo, Vila do Porto, Vila Franca do Campo
Capital	Ponta Delgada
Largest city	Ponta Delgada
- center	São José
- elevation	22 m (72 ft)
- coordinates	37°44′28″N 25°40′32″W / 37.74111°N 25.67556°W / 37.74111; -25.67556Coordinates: 37°44′28″N 25°40′32″W / 37.74111°N 25.67556°W / 37.74111; -25.67556
Highest point	Mount Pico
- elevation	2,351 m (7,713 ft)
- coordinates	38°28′19″N 28°51′50″W / 38.47194°N 28.86389°W / 38.47194; -28.86389
Lowest point	Sea level
- location	Atlantic Ocean
- elevation	0 m (0 ft)
Area	2,333 km2 (901 sq mi)
Population	245,746 (2012) Census 2011
Density	105.87/km2 (274/sq mi)
Settlement	15 August 1432
- Administrative autonomy	c. 1895
- Political autonomy	4 September 1976
Discovery	c. 1427
- Santa Maria	c. 1427
- São Miguel	c. 1428
Management
- location	Assembleia Regional, Rua Marcelino Lima, Horta, Faial
- elevation	46 m (151 ft)
- coordinates	38°32′6″N 28°37′51″W / 38.53500°N 28.63083°W / 38.53500; -28.63083
Government
- location	Palácio de Santana, Rua José Jácome Correia, Ponta Delgada, São Miguel
- elevation	60 m (197 ft)
- coordinates	37°44′52″N 25°40′19″W / 37.74778°N 25.67194°W / 37.74778; -25.67194
President (Government)	Vasco Cordeiro (PS)
- President (Assembleia)	Ana Luís (PS)
Timezone	AZOT (UTC−1)
- summer (DST)	AZOST (UTC)
ISO 3166-2 code	PT-20
Postal code	9XXX-XXX
Area code	(+351) 29X XX XX XX
ccTLD	.pt
Date format	dd-mm-yyyy
Drive	right-side
Demonym	Azorean
Patron Saint	Espírito Santo
Holiday	51st day (Monday) following Easter (Dia da Região Autónoma dos Açores)
Anthem	A Portuguesa (national) Hino dos Açores (regional)
Currency	Euro (€)
GDP (nominal)	2013
- Total	€ 3,694 million
- Per capita	€ 14,900
Location of the Azores relative to Portugal (green) and the rest of the European Union (dark blue)
Distribution of the islands of the archipelago
Statistics: Instituto Nacional de Estatística
Website: www.azores.gov.pt
Geographic detail from CAOP (2010) produced by Instituto Geográfico Português (IGP)

The Azores (/əˈzɔərz/ ə-ZOHRZ or /ˈeɪzɔərz/ AY-zohrz; Portuguese: Açores, [ɐˈsoɾɨʃ]), officially the Autonomous Region of the Azores (Região Autónoma dos Açores), is one of the two autonomous regions of Portugal, an archipelago composed of nine volcanic islands in the North Atlantic Ocean about 1,360 km (850 mi) west of continental Portugal, about 880 km (550 mi) northwest of Madeira, and about 1,925 km (1,196 mi) southeast of Newfoundland.

Its main industries are agriculture, dairy farming (for cheese and butter products primarily), livestock ranching, fishing, and tourism, which is becoming the major service activity in the region. In addition, the government of the Azores employs a large percentage of the population directly or indirectly in the service and tertiary sectors. The main settlement of the Azores is Ponta Delgada.